Auburn Tigers Football: Grading Each Position, Spring Edition

The Auburn Tigers have three spring practices left. With most positions carrying projected starters, it feels right to take the time and grade the Tigers at each position through spring.

The Tigers had a lot of questions heading into the first practice, but Auburn has found answers for a number of those.

The offensive line looked questionable to start, but now only one position is in shuffle mode. The Tigers don’t have a returning starter at quarterback, but it appears that a leader has taken shape.

Taking a close look at each position, here are the grades for the Tigers as they close out spring.

Quarterback: B

The Tigers have focused this spring around learning and development. Auburn has three scholarship quarterbacks that have gone through spring. Despite the lack of depth, Auburn has talent, and in my opinion, a starter. 

Kiehl Frazier has looked the best of all three quarterbacks this spring. Clint Moseley was expected to go head-to-head with Frazier during the spring, but a shoulder injury sidelined Moseley for over two weeks.

Getting Frazier extra reps and more attention has helped develop his skill, as well as his leadership abilities for the Tigers offense. I would expect Frazier to be named the starter at some point during the summer.

With the load of information that has been dumped on the three quarterbacks, and the development that has occurred, I give the Tigers quarterbacks a “B” grade. 

The Tigers have a lot of growth that still has to come, but for the wealth of information that has been digested so far, including learning how to take snaps from center, the Tigers quarterbacks have done a good job of adjusting. 

Running Back: A

The Auburn backfield is stocked full of talent. The Tigers return experience in Onterio McCalebb and Tre Mason. The Tigers also have Corey Grant and Mike Blakely, two talented transfers.

This spring, the Tigers have worked to develop the running game into the bread and butter of the offense. Offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler loves to run the football and will use the Tigers talented backfield to drive the play-action pass downfield.

Running backs coach Curtis Luper has been critical of the Tigers backfield in recent interviews, but it appears to be more coaches speak than anything. Corey Grant is being called out by teammates as someone to watch. Grant has the speed of McCalebb, but a body that runs inside extremely well.

The fullback position falls into the running back grade, placing this as one of the most talented position sets on the Tigers roster. The Tigers recently saw All-American fullback Jay Prosch transfer from Illinois to the Plains. Prosch is a bulldozer on the field and has earned rave reviews this spring. 

With the power Prosch possesses, and the tenacity he plays with, the Tigers should find some wide open holes to run through this fall.

With the mix of experience and talent that is found at running back, the Tigers get a grade of “A” for the development that has occurred this spring. 

This backfield will receive an additional boost this fall when Jovon Robinson enrolls, further solidifying the Tigers backfield as one of the best in the country. 

Receiver: C

The Tigers have had serious issues finding open space from the receiver position in the past few seasons. Auburn has talent that fills the lineup, but the Tigers have had trouble translating that talent into production. 

The only proven receiver that the Tigers have returning is Emory Blake. When Blake fell to an ankle injury during the season last year, the passing game was virtually non-existent for the Tigers. 

Auburn has tried to find guys that can play opposite of Blake and gain some attention. Travante Stallworth, DeAngelo Benton, Quan Bray, Trovon Reed and Sammie Coates are all names that appear to be making a push. Jaylon Denson is also a rising redshirt freshman that could make waves.

There has been a wealth of inconsistency this spring, with some of that obviously being attributed to the new offensive system. The Tigers need to find some development soon however, as summer and fall are right around the corner.

The tight end is another position that will be looked to this fall for big plays. The Tigers have stud rising senior Philip Lutzenkirchen on roster, but Lutz has sat out spring following a shoulder surgery. 

In his stead, the Tigers have developed Brandon Fulse and C.J. Uzomah. Fulse and Uzomah earned time a year ago, but Uzomah was primarily a receiver. 

For the lack of apparent development at the receiver position, the Tigers get a grade of “C” for the receiver and tight end position.

The Tigers have seen growth from the tight end position this spring, and may rely heavily on Blake and the tight ends for plays in the play-action passing game this fall.

Offensive Line: B

The offensive line was a bit of a concern for the Tigers as they broke into spring training. The Tigers had issues a year ago with consistency along the line, at times looking scared to put hands on people in the higher profile games.

Offensive line coach Jeff Grimes has done a great job of reforming a line that saw three different rotations during the 2011 season. There is a plethora of talent for Grimes to pull from, and to this point appears to be set on a starting rotation, save the right guard position.

Right guard remains up in the air with a battle happening between Eric Mack and Christian Westerman. Mack brings the experience to the table, while Westerman is an All-American type talent who took a redshirt a season ago.

Once summer rolls around, the Tigers will likely settle the line relatively quickly into fall camp. Spring showed a lot more growth than I expected along the offensive line as Grimes found solutions to a lot of issues that had to be fought through a year ago.

I give the offensive line a grade of “B” for the development that has occurred this spring. 

Heading into the summer and fall with a solid rotation along the line is just as important as finding leadership from the quarterback position.

Defensive Line: B

The defensive line took some hits early in the spring session as Kenneth Carter and Nosa Eguae didn’t take the field due to injury. A week into practice, Gabe Wright fell to a foot injury, forcing the Tigers into a tight situation with a lack of bodies.

Jabrian Niles, DeVaunte Sigler and Angelo Blackson have stepped up and received a number of quality snaps this spring, building depth for a group that battled hard last season, but fell short of expectations consistently. 

Dee Ford returned from a back injury and has looked great off of the edge. Corey Lemonier is another edge rusher that has improved this spring and will be a major force this fall off of the edge for Auburn.

Once the rotation returns to normal with Carter, Eguae and Wright returning, the Tigers will have one of the most talented groups in the conference. 

For the development that has happened for younger guys up front, and the change in defensive philosophy which is defensive line friendly, the Tigers get an overall grade of “B” for the defensive line growth this spring.

Linebacker: C

The linebacker position was one that carried some concerns heading into this spring practice session and is still a concern moving into the summer workout period.

The Tigers have talent, but the majority of the talent is inexperienced. The Tigers also had Jawara White, a backup middle linebacker, fall to a career-ending injury. The Tigers are scary thin in the middle, with only two scholarship players earning reps.

Jonathan Evans is a rising senior outside linebacker that has been sidelined this spring with injury, further hurting the Tigers numbers for these 15 practices.

With a number of questions still looming, and the middle linebacker position becoming extremely thin, the Tigers earn a grade of “C” for their efforts at linebacker this spring. 

The linebackers are a position group that I think can be very special this season, but guys like Daren Bates and Jake Holland have to take a hard leadership role this summer and fall. The Tigers also need to avoid the injury bug as the experience is simply not there for the Tigers on second team.

Secondary: A

The Auburn defensive secondary is by far the most talented position set on the field this coming season. The Tigers return all but one starter to the fold and a host of experienced backups.

There have been major strides made this season at cornerback with the absence of T’Sharvan Bell—out with a knee injury—with Robenson Therezie coming on very strong opposite Chris Davis. Davis is poised to be one of the best corners in the conference in 2012.

The safety position is one that has faced a few injuries. Erique Florence and Demetruce McNeal are both starters that will sit out A-Day with injury. Despite their absence, the Tigers will have skilled guys replacing them. 

Jermaine Whitehead is a stud that has cross-trained for the Tigers in the secondary. He will play safety during A-Day, but will also serve as the nickelback for the Tigers this fall. Ryan White is another name to watch at safety to finish spring. He became famous with his goal-line stand against Mississippi State last year.

With the experience that the Tigers return in the secondary, and the development that has come in a few short weeks under new defensive secondary coach Willie Martinez, the Tigers get a grade “A” for spring practice.

The Tigers should see marked improvement over last season in the defensive secondary. 

Special Teams: A

The Tigers special teams units are poised to be some of the best in the country this coming fall. Cody Parkey and Steven Clark are both All-American talents. 

Parkey has been sidelined for a number of practices this spring with injury, but Clark has been on point and booming punts to the heavens.

Auburn’s biggest struggle on special teams has been the return units, but this season the Tigers have a host of talented return men that could make the Tigers potent during each kick and punt return this coming season.

With the talent level found among the Auburn specialists, Auburn gets a grade of “A” for spring development. The Tigers will be very dangerous on special teams in 2012. 


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